A study of a case: the history of Barão do Pontal “Mineiros” from Zona da Mata, building the Nacional State (1821-1841)

Abstract

The province of Minas Gerais had a prominent role on the building of the Imperial State. During the Regency, it was one of the pillars of the moderate liberal project, and staged its agony on the Rebellion of 1842. Therefore, it becomes relevant to study at great length, the political elites responsible for the importance of Minas on this context. From a group of documents formed by inventories, testaments, electoral lists and newspapers from the period, I examined the economic and material bases of some of the farmers around the middle of the XIX century, evaluating simultaneously its political participation on the configuration of the provincial powers, and the larger scope of the monarchic State. For that I elected, as an emblematic character, Manoel Ignácio de Mello e Souza, president of the province, senator, and later honored as Barão do Pontal (Baron of the Pontal). The geographic space featured is part of the north Zona da Mata, more precisely the region that includes the cities of Barra Longa, Viçosa and Ponte Nova.